The Buzz Week in Review
by Mike KrumboltzMay 30, 2008
Ever open your mouth and wish you'd just kept it closed? Join the club. This week, several famous folks made comments they'd like stricken from the record. Take a look back at the awkward gaffes from the week that was.
Hillary Clinton's alarming comparison
Senator Clinton, in an attempt to argue that the battle for the Democratic nomination is far from over, made an unfortunate comparison to the 1968 race in which Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated. The "Hey, you never know..." comment outraged Obama supporters who criticized Clinton's poor choice of words. The former First Lady later apologized, but that didn't stop folks from buzzing related articles including one from the always popular New York Post.
Sharon Stone: Not real popular in China
While on the red carpet at Cannes, Sharon Stone made one of those comments that was both insensitive and just plain dumb. When asked about the recent Chinese earthquake that killed thousands of people, Ms. Stone suggested it might be karma for China's treatment of Tibet. Not surprisingly, China took umbrage at the insinuation and Stone apologized faster than you can say "Basic Instinct 3." Unfortunately, the apology may be too late—Cristian Dior already dropped her as a spokesmodel. Now that's karma. (Oh, and for those who are interested, HowStuffWorks explains how karma really works.)
Rachael Ray's controversial... scarf?
We never thought scarves could be "controversial," but then again, we've never had our neckwear critiqued by millions of people. Rachael Ray wore a fringed scarf for a recent Dunkin Donuts ad, and a blogger pointed out that scarf was similar to "the type typically worn by Muslim extremists." Others voiced their opinions and pretty soon, Dunkin Donuts pulled the ad. The New York Times recaps this textbook example of the Web's massive influence.
Other apologies making the rounds...
• Bear Sterns chairman Jimmy Cayne apologized to an auditorium of employees for the pain caused by the company's misfortune. The employees' reaction? Dead silence. Can you say "awkward"?
• Christian Siriano, winner of "Project Runway," apologized for derogatory comments he made toward transsexuals.
• Finally, some folks just don't "do" apologies. Danica Patrick has no plans to apologize for storming toward Ryan Briscoe's pit stall after Briscoe inadvertently knocked her from the Indy 500. That's right—you stay mad, Danica.